Folding egg-crate.



A. W. OFFINEER. GGGGGGGGGG CRATE.

PPPPP 0A TI ON IILED' NOV. 14, 1908. Patented July 27,1909. nnnnnns-s'nsm 1.

I an. K um i flmnmnrg 1: j \I mum ABNER W. OFFINEER, OF VERSAILLES,MISSOURI.

FOLDING- EGG-CRATE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2'7, 1909.

Application filed November 14, 1908. Serial No. 462,717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER W. OFFINEER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Versailles, in the county of Morgan and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Folding Egg-Crates, of whic i the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates for eggs,merchandise and the like and also to devices for fastening the covers ofcrates or boxes.

One object of the invention is to simplify and improve the constructionof folding crates and thereby render them less expensive and moredurable and convenient.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved coverfastening means which will effectively secure the cover of the cratewhen the body of the latter is either open or folded.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved crate in its set up position; Fig. 2 is a similar view of thesame in its knocked down or folded position; Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe-crate with parts broken away and in section; Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view; Fig. 5 is a detail pers ective of the resilient coverfastening mem er; and Fig.

. 6 is a similar view of the removable pin of one of the fasteners whichunite the sides and ends of the crate. Y

The body of the improved crate comprises a rectangular bottom 1, twoside walls each composed of a stationary lower section 2 and an inwardlyfolding upper section 3, and two ends each of which latter is similarlycomposed of a stationary lower section 4 and an inwardly folding uppersection 5. The stationary sections of the sides and ends are rigidlysecured to the edges of the bottom 1 and one of the two sections 2 is ofgreater height than the other section 2 and the last mentioned sectionis of greater height than the two end sections 4, whereby the upper sidesections 3 will fold over in difierent horizontal planes above the twoupper end sections 5. The bottom 1 is of greater length than thecombined height of the upper end sections 5 and said lower end sections4 project sufficiently above the upper surface of the bottom 1 to permitthe usual cardboard filler sections to be placed in a folded positionupon the bottom 1 beneath the inwardly folded end sections 5.

A removable partition .6 is preferably provided between the two sidesandadapted to be placed upon the bottom of the crate when it is folded.Said partition has secured to its opposite sides depending straps 7adapted to receive between them a transverse cleat 8 secured to thebottom 1 between the side sections 2. Hooks 9 are pivoted to the u perportions of the partition 6 and are a apte to engage eyes 10 upon theupper side sections 3 for the purpose of holding said partition in anupright position and assisting in bracing the crate when set up for use.

11 denotes angle metal corner plates secured to the lower corners of thebody of the crate by fastenings 12. Each of said corner.

plates 11 has an upstanding side flange 13 apertured to receive a screwor other pivot 14 which passes through a metal plate 15 and into one ofthe upper end sections 5, said plate 15 being secured to the edge ofsuch end section. The screws 14 form the pivots for said upper foldingend sections 5 and are clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Each of said'angle corner plates 11 is also formed with an end flange16, the upper end of which extends above the top of the side flange 13and is apertured to receive a screw or other pivot 17, which latterpasses through a plate 18 and into one of the upper side sections 3 soas to pivot or hinge such side section. Said plates 18 are similar tothe plates 15 and are secured to the edges of the folding side. sections3. To permit the folding upper sections of both the sides and ends tofold inwardly the inner corners of their bottom edges are rounded, asshown at 19 in Fig. 4. It will be seen that the angle metal cornerplates not only serve to effectively unite the parts 1, 2, 8 of thebottom but also serve as hinge members to receive the pivots or pintlesof the folding side and end sections. Said angle corner plates 11 arealso provided with bottom flanges 20 which project below the plane ofthe lower surface of the bottom 1 and serve as spacing feet to preventsaid bottom from contacting with the floor and thereby reducing wear. r

In order to detachably connect the upper portions of the folding sideand end sections of the side sections 3 and the plates 22 upon.

the outer faces of the 'end sections 5. The adjacent edges of the plates21, 22 are formed with spaced eyes or loops 24 which register or alinewith each other to receive a removable pin 25. Said pin, as shown inFig. 6, has a pointed lower end to permit it to be readily passedthrough the alining loops or eyes 24 and at its upper end is a rightangularly bent finger piece 26. The removable fastening pins 25 areadapted to be retained in the plates 21', 22 by a removable coverconsisting of a rectangular top portion 27 and two transverse end cleats28, the latter being secured to its ends and de pending from the same.The top portion 27 of the cover is adapted to engage the outer ends ofthe pins 25 to retain them in the plate 21, 22 and the end cleats orstrips 28 are adapted to press the finger pieces 26 of said pinsinwardly against the end sections 5,

as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3. While thefastenings just described serve to effectively unite the folding sideand end sections of the body ofthe crate, it will be understood that anyother suitable fastening devices may be substituted for them. 7

The improved cover fastening device comprises a member 29 adapted to besecured to either the cover or the crate body and provided withresilient hook-shaped ends or arms to engage keeper pins or studs uponeither the body or cover. As illustrated in the drawings,saidfasteningmembers are substantially V-shape and constructed of resilient Wire, each member being formed from asingle piece by bending thesame at its center to form a coil or eye 30 and two diverging springarms 31 having bent or hook-shaped ends 32. The eye 30 is adapted toreceive a screw or other fastening 33 which attaches said member to thecenter of one of the end cleats 28 of the cover. The hook-shaped arms 31are adaptedto be sprung into engagement with headed keeper studs 34arranged in spaced relation upon one of the folding end sections 5 andpreferably upon a block 35 secured to said end section and adapted to beengaged by the cleat 28 when the cover is in position upon the body ofthe crate. 'By springing the arms 31 together they may be readilyengaged with and disengaged from the headed keeper pins or studs 34 andwhen engaged with the latter they will effectively retain the cover uponthe body. In order to permit the fastening member to be used forsecuring the cover upon the crate body when the latter is fold-;ed,-as-shown in Fig. 2,

similar keeper studs 36 are provided upona block 37 secured to one ofthe end sections 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides a foldingcrate or boX for eggs, merchandise and the like which is exceedinglysimple in construction and, consequently, inexpensive to produce, strongand durable. It may be qulckly and easily set up for use and as readilyknocked down or folded for storage or transportation.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. The hereindescribed folding crate or box comprising a bottom, sidesand ends,

each composed of stationary lower sections secured to the side and endedges of the bot tom and inwardly folding upper sections, metal platessecured upon the lower portions of the vertical end edges of the foldingsections of both the sides and ends, said plates being formed withopenings, angle metal corner plates, each having a horizontal bottomflange to engage the bottom face of the body, an'upright side flangesecured upon the stationary lower section of one side of the crate andan upright end flange secured upon the stationary lower section of oneof the ends of the crate, said upright side and end flanges of theangular corner plates being formed with openings to register with saidopenings in the metal plates upon the foldmg'sectlons of the sides andends, screws passed through said registering openings in the cornerplates and the'first mentioned plates, whereby the upper sections ofsaid sides and ends are pivoted to fold inwardly and means fordetachably uniting the upper portions of said folding side and endsections.

2. The hereindescribed folding crate or boX comprising a bottom, sidesand ends, each composed of stationary lower sections secured to the sideand endedges of the bottom and inwardly folding upper sections,

metal plates secured upon the lower portions of the vertical end edgesof the folding sections of both the sides and ends, said plates beingformed with openings, angle metal corner plates, each having ahorizontal bottom flange to engage the bottom face of the body, anupright side flange secured upon the stationary lower section of oneside of the crate and an upright end flange secured upon the stationarylower section of one of the ends of the crate, said upright side and endflanges of the angular corner plates being. formed with openings toregister with said openings in the metal plates upon the foldingsections of the sides and ends, screws passed through said registeringopenings in the corner plates and the first mentioned plates, wherebythe upper sections of said sides and ends are pivoted to fold inwardly,co-acting fastening plates secured upon the upperportions of the endedges'of the upper side sections and upon the upperportion of the outerfaces of the upper end section, said plates being formed with aplurality of spaced eyes adapted to enter between and register with eachother when the crate is set up, removable fastening pins passed throughthe registering eyes of said fastening plates and having right angularlybent upper ends disposed substantially in the horizontal plane of theupper edges of the sides and ends of the crate, a cover adapted toengage the angular upper ends of the fastening pins and to retain themin said registering eyes, said cover having at its ends dependingtransverse cleats adapted to overlap the upper portions of saidfastening plates and means for retaining said cover upon the crate.

3. A folding crate or box comprising a bottom, inwardly folding sidesand ends connected thereto, means for securing said sides and ends inopen position, blocks secured to the ends of the crate adjacent to itstop and bottom, pairs of spacedheaded studs arranged on each of saidblocks, a cover having at its ends depending transverse cleats, headedpins upon said cleats, and resilient keeper members, each formed from asingle piece of wire coiled atits center to receive one of the headedpins on the cleats of the cover, the ends of said resilient keepermember being bent angularly in opposite directions to provide hooksadapted to enter between and to be sprung into and out of engagementwith said headed studs on the blocks, whereby the cover may be fastenedto the crate in its opened or folded position. In testimony whereof Ihereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ABNER W. OFFINEER.

Witnesses O. W. KAVANAUGH, J. E. BONTOR.

